Educator Effectiveness

License Renewal Effect on Educators Retiring This Year

To:	Superintendents, Charter School Leaders, Collaboratives, Principals, and Teachers
From:	Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Date:	March 18, 2009

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is anticipating more than 50,000 educators with "academic" Professional licenses and about 4,000 educators with Vocational Technical Professional licenses will renew their license by June 17, 2009. This notice addresses concerns regarding the renewal status of those educators retiring at the end of the 2008-09 school year. Any Massachusetts educator who continues working in the role of his or her Professional level license through the end of this school year, and (1) holds a license that is up for renewal, and (2) plans to retire at the conclusion of the 2008-09 school year, will not be required to submit to the Department an application for the renewal of his or her Professional level license(s) in order to continue in this role through the end of June 2009. Rather than renew their licenses, educators may choose to submit a written letter of intent to their school administrator and personnel office detailing their retirement plans. School districts should maintain a record of these letters of intent, as they will later document that a school district was informed of the educators' plans. Also, they will be available to answer any future questions regarding the educators' inactive licensure status. Should the educator submit a letter of intent and then choose to return for the 2009-10 school year, the educator must hold an active license for the position in which he or she will be employed for the employment to be considered legal.

Last Updated: March 18, 2009